ESPN announcer Mike Patrick retires

Mike Patrick (R) covered multiple sports for ESPN, including college football and the NFL. (ESPN)

ESPN announcer Mike Patrick is retiring from broadcasting.

The network announced Wednesday that Patrick’s last game for ESPN was the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 30. ESPN will air a tribute to Patrick, who called multiple sports for over 30 years, throughout the day on Wednesday.

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“It’s wonderful to reflect on how I’ve done exactly what I wanted to do with my life,” Patrick said in an ESPN release. “At the same time, I’ve had the great pleasure of working with some of the very best people I’ve ever known, both on the air and behind the scenes. While I’m not sure exactly what’s next for me, I’m looking forward to continuing my journey with new life experiences.”

While Patrick most recently was a college football announcer for ESPN and worked with former Auburn and Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville, he’s most known to many adults as the voice of ESPN’s Sunday Night Football coverage.

Before Sunday night games shifted to NBC and ESPN took over the rights to Monday night NFL games, ESPN carried games on Sunday nights. Patrick was the voice of SNF on ESPN from 1987-2005 and was the broadcaster for the network’s first NFL regular-season broadcast.

Patrick also did college basketball work, including the Women’s Final Four, and also contributed to College World Series coverage.

“No play-by-play commentator in ESPN history has accomplished more than Mike Patrick,” ESPN vice president Lee Fitting said. “He is not only a gifted professional who skillfully captures the moments and makes others around him better; he brings a genuine sports fan’s excitement to the telecasts. It was a truly incredible run.”